Peanut-digger.



w. H. WEST. PEANUI' BIGGER. NPPLICATION FILED l-lEc. I8, 1 917- Patented'J une 11, 1918.

@New nyc l) Nnarran srarns WADE H. WEST, OF PANDORA, TEXAS. i'

PEANUT-BIGGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1918.

Application filed December 18, 1917. Serial No. 207,737.

To all whom t mag/concern.'

Be it known that I, hun H. WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pandora, in the county of lVlson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsv in `Peanut-Diggers, of which the following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to certain improvements in peanut diggers and it is an object of the inventionto provide a `device of this general character whereby the plow or digging implement passes under the peanuts and cuts off the tap roots. p

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of `this general character n ging implement is eoncavo-convex and 1s supported or positioned in to penetrate the ground or soil sufliciently to pass under the peanuts, which grow near the surface, and to sever the tap roots as the device `is drawnvforwardly which results in the preservation of the, soil as the soil does not lose the nitrogen `contained withinthe roots.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts: of my improved peanut digger whereby certain `nnportant advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as willrbe hereinafterI more fully set forth. y

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, l` will now proceed to describe the same with reference tothe accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and vpartly-in section illustrating'a peanut digger constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

F ig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the side wings being omitted; and

Fig. 3 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section of my improved digger as herein disclosed.

As ings, with l denotes a beam provided at one end a depending standard or sheth 2 and the lower or free end of said standard or wherein the plow or dig? such a manner as vof the bolt l5 disclosed by the accompanying draw-w sheth .has extending therebeyond a threaded shank 3 adapted to be disposed through the axial center' of the plow or digging implement 4. The plow or digging implement 4' is maintained in applied position through the medium of the nut 5 threaded upon the shank 3 and coaeting in a conventional manner with the plow or element 4.

The plow or element 4 is concavo-convex with'its convex surface upwardly directed. The plow or implement 4 is preferably a substantially horizontally disposed disk and has its margin formed into a cutting' edge G.

Overlying the rear portion of the plow or implement 4 and in the same longitudinal plane as the beam 1 is an arm 7 extending a predetermined distance rearwardly of the plow or implement 4. The forward end portion of the arm 7 is provided with an upstanding extension S secured as at 9 to the rear face of the standard or sheth 2. The arm 7 is secured as at 7 to the plow or implement 4 whereby said arm 7 serves as a support and reinforcement therefor. Disposed through the rear or free end portion of the arm is the vertically directed knife 10 held in applied position through the medium ofthe pin 11 or the like, extending through an opening 12 in the knife 10 and through the longitudinal portions of an upstanding flange 14 defining an opening in the arm 7 through which the knife is direet-ed.

Secured to the standard or sheth 2 through the medium of the bolt 15 and at a predetermined distance above the lower end portion of said standard or shet-h 2 are the lower extremities of the upwardly and rearwardly directed handle members 16. Also engaged with the opposite end portions are thebrace members 17 which extend downwardly and laterally and have their lower extremities suitably anchored as at 18 to the rear portion of the plow or digging implement 4 whereby additional support is afforded the plow or implement 4. Underlying the lower end portions of the Ihandle members 16 and secured thereto as at 19 is a plate 20 having its opposite'end portions downwardly and outwardly directed to aord the deflecting wings 20 and the lower longitudinal marginal portions of said wings are provided with the depending teeth 21 for a purpose to be hereinafter more` particularly referred to.

Coacting with each of the handle members 16 and the beam l is a brace rod 22, and the upper end portions 0f the handle members 1G are connected in the conventional manner by the cross rod 23.

Vhile the threaded shank 3 may be secured to the lower end portion of the standard or sheth 2 in any manner desired, I prefer to employ the arrangement disclosed particularly in Fig. 3 wherein the lower end portion of said standard or sheth 2 is bifurcated to afford a kerf 2a in which snugly iits the head 25 arranged at the upper rnd of the shank 3 and disposed through the standardor sheth 2 and the head 25 is a holding` member 26.

In operation the plow or digging element 4: is caused to penetrate the ground or soil sufficiently to pass under the peanuts, which grow near the surface and as the device is drawn forward, the tap roots are severed by the cutting edge 6 and the concavo convex formation of the plow or digging element will result in the elevation of the peanuts and the `severed vines. rIhe wings 2l operate to throw the vines to opposite sides of the rows while the depending teeth 2l of said wings readily permit the passage therebetween of the soil so that the possibility of choking is eliminated. The depending knife ll penetrates the soil suiliciently to serve as guide for the proper travel of the device and also serves to separate or sever the vines when necessary to facilitate the wings 20 performing their function.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a peanut digger constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some changes and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting Vmyself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying @baten or this patent may be obtained for digging implement, and a knife out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. In combination with afsheth, a substantially horizontally disposed disk secured to the lower end of the sheth, and a bracing means coacting with the sheth and the rear portion of the disk.

2. In combination with a sheth, a substantially horizontally disposed disk secured to the lower end of the sheth, a bracing means coacting with the sheth and the rear portion of vthe disk, said bracing means extending rearwardly of the disk, and an earth penetrating member carried by the extended portion of the bracing means.

3. In combination with a beam provided with a sheth, a concave-convex digging ele ment secured to the lower end of the sheth, and a brace member coacting with the sheth and rear portion of the digging implement.

Ll.. In combination with a beam provided with a sheth, a concavo-convex digging element secured to the lower end of the sheth, a brace member coacting with the sheth and rear portion of the digging implement1 said brace member extending rearwardly off the carried by the extended portion of the brace member.

5. In combination with` a beam provided with a sheth, a concavo-convex digging element secured to the lower end of the sheth, and downwardly and outwardly directed wings extending rearwardly of the sheth.

6. In combination with a beam provided with a sheth, a concavo-convex digging element secured to the lower endA of the sheth, and downwardly and outwardly directed wings extending rearwardly of the sheth7 the lower marginal portions of said wings being provided with teeth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

`WADE II. WE ST.

YWitnesses y Gr. C. MoMArNs, IV. W. SPEAR.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

